Hacksaw



June 1l, 1940. v l s, ALBRIGHT 2,204,390

HAcxsAwA Filed 'May 26, 195e INVEN 0R.

Patented Junell, 1940 UNITED STATES APATENT ol-Fica v ,-TW`4 I ....l'y' y 4 Claims, (Cl. 145-33) tion thehandle is out of axial alinement with the .i

When the hacksaw is being-used in the blade. lnormal positionwith the frame disposed above l5 and in the plane of the saw blade, then it is not necessary that the handle be in axial alinement with the saw blade. In an adjustable construction, however, if the blade is disposed for sawing in a vertical plane and if the frame is disposed 20 in a substantially horizontal plane, then if the handle is out of axial alinement with the saw blade, the sawing pressure will not be applied in the same plane as the plane of the saw cut being made. As a result there will be a tendency to i 2l twist the saw blade in the saw cut, and with the highly tempered blades now employed breakage is very likely to result. In those prior 'structures in which the blade and handle are in axial alinement and are simultaneously adjustable, the hanl0 dle is substantially integral with the saw blade, and there is a very weak connection between the handle and the frame. There is therefore the tendency for the handle to shift angularly withl respect to the frame, thereby twisting the blade with resulting breakage. l

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved hacksaw wherein the frame is angularly adjustable with respect to the blade and handle, to meet varying condin tions, and wherein the handle is supported in axial alinement with the blade, there being means for rigidly connecting the handle' to the frame,

in any desired position of adjustment which positively prevents the handle from shifting with respect to the frame during use, so that therewill be no twisting of the blade.

A further object of my present invention is to provide a hacksaw having an improved means for angularly adjusting the frame with respect w to the blade and handle portions thereof and to provide a means for maintaining 'correct balance of the saw irrespective of the angular position of said frame.

. A further specific object of my invention is to provide an improvedmeans for adjusting the frame portion of a hacksaw in various desired angular positions with respect to the handle and blade portions of the saw and to provide a counterweight thereon for the purpose of counterbalancing-the 'frame portion regardless ofthe l position thereof.

` A still more specific object of my present invention is to provide an improved means of angular adjustment of the frame of a hacksaw about the common axis of vthe blade and handle by l0 simple manipulation of thumb nuts,without removal of the blade or handle. from the saw and without removing said saw from the object being cut, and at the Sametime maintaining proper balance of said saw regardless of the position of 15 the frame thereof.

An additional specic object of my invention is to provide an improved means for effecting angular adjustment of the frame of a hacksaw about the common axis of the blade and handle portions 20 by simple manipulation of thumb nuts which also provide for positive locking of said frame in the desired position, and a'counterweight providing proper balance 'of the saw irrespective o'fy the position of the frame. g5 These and other specific objects and advantages 4will be apparent from the followingdetailed description. i

V A clear conception of embodiments of the sev-t eralfeatures constituting the present invention 30 may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification,

wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a top view of'the'saw and blade show- 35 ing the frame, angularly adjusted and locked at a right angle with respect tov the plane -of the blade and handle, and also showing the handle and bladedisposed in the plane of the frame, in dot-and-dash lines; v '40 Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the saw taken along the line 2-1-2 of Fig. 1, and showing in dot-.and-dash lines other positions of adjustment of the frame; v

Fig. 3 ls an enlarged fragmentary part sectional 45 side view of the adjusting portion of the saw means; and r A u Fig. 6 is a section showing another part of the locking means at the opposite end taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4. I

While I have illustrated my invention herein as being specically applied to hacksaws, it is not my intention to thereby unnecessarily restrict the scope, since it may be applicable to other` types of saws.

Referring to the drawing, and more specifically to the complete assemblage shown in Fig. 1, there is shown a handle 1 carrying a blade .support 8 adapted for cooperation with the support 9 to support-a saw blade `I2 therebetween, a U-shaped frame I0 carrying a counterweight II, said frame and counterweight being adjustably movable about the blade supports 8 and 9 as willihereinafter be pointed out in detail.

Fig. 3 shows the adjusting nuts and the locking device at the handle end of the saw. The blade support 8 is slidably butnon-rotatably carried within the stud I3 through a square bore Ill and is adjustable at the threaded end I6 by manipulation of the nut IG. By manipulation of this adjusting nut I6, the blade support 8 is movable axially of the bore I4 to relieve'or increase the tension on the saw blade I2 asdesired. The screw I1 has a suiliciently large head to prevent the nut I6 from normally coming oil? of the blade support lshaft 8 and may be removed for purposes of disassembling the mechanism for cleaning and the like. The stud I3 is journaled within the frame I0 and is non-rotatably extended through a square bore IB-in the handle 1 and has af threaded portion I9 atone end adapted to carry the adjusting nut 20.

In Fig. 4, the blade support 9 has a head 22 having locking teeth 23 and a portion 24 of reduced diameter forming a shoulder. A spring 2l, compressed within the bore 25 of the frame I9, presses against the frame at the shoulder 26 and againstthe shoulder of the reduced part 24 of the blade support head to continuously exert tension upon theblade I2 through the blade support 9 which is rotatable within the frame ID. As the adjusting nut I6, in Fig. 3, is loosened the compressed spring 2|, in Fig. 4, pushes against the portion 24 of the blade support head 22 to force the locking teeth 23 out of fengagement with the serrations 21 of the frame I9, thus unlocking the end of the frame I0 remote from the handle 1 and enabling rotation thereof about the blade support 9.

Again referring to Fig. 3, the frame I0 may be adjusted at the handle end of the saw by loosening the yadjusting nut 20 while the nut I6 is loose, thus releasing the pressure on the collar 28 which is loosely carried upon the stud I3. The collar 28 has a recess 34 into which the unheaded end of the pin 29 is fitted and at which point pressure is exerted by the collar 28 vupon the pin 29 when the adjusting nut 29 is.

" tight. The locking pin 29 has a round head 39 adapted to ilt into a selected recess 3| oi' the frame I0. This pin 29 is located within the handle III and carries a compressed spring 92 which presses against the ilange 33 within the handle I0 and against the head 30 of .the pin 29 tending to constantly force the head 30 into the selected recess 3i. A tter the pressure of the collar 28 upon the pin 29 is released by loosening the adjusting nut 29 as above mentioned, the frame I0 at the handle end of the saw also becomes unlocked and the entire frame I0 may be rotated in any direction about thel blade supports 8 ,and 9 and may subsequently locked in any desired position by merely tightening the adjusting nuts 2l and I9. The counterweight II shown in Fig. 4 .is secured to the frame I0 at a point remote from the handle 1. It is adapted to be screwed into the frame I0 as at 35 to enable quick removal therefrom in case such removal is desired.

anchored to the frame I0 so that no turning of the handle with resulting twisting of the saw blade is permitted during use regardless of the strains encountered.

When the hacksaw is in the adjusted position of Figure l, there would normally be a tendency for the weight of the frame I0 to exert a twisting action on the saw blade. By use of the counterweight II, however, the weight of the frame IED is balanced on the other side so'that no twisting action takes place. The counterweight is readily removable when its use is not necessary.

Notwithstanding the fact that the axis of the handle is common to the axis of the saw blade supports, nevertheless due to the fact that the saw support 8 is slidable in the aperture I4 it is possible to adjust the tension on the saw blade or lremove and replace the saw blade without disturbing the lock between the frame and handle.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to the precise mode of operation, herein shown and described, for various modilcations within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

. I claim;

l. In a hacksaw having a U-shaped frame, a blade support projecting inwardly from one end of said frame, a study journaled in the other end of said frame and having a part projecting outwardly therefrom, said projecting part having a squared portion and having an outer threaded portion, and said stud having a squared bore extending therethrough, av squared blade support extending through said squared bore, the inner end of said. support being cooperable with the blade support at the other end of the frame tol support a saw blade therebetween, and the outer end of said blade support projecting beyond the outer end of the stud and being threaded, a handle having a squared aperture through which the squared portion of the stud extends, a nut threaded on the threaded portion of the stud for locking said handle in a desired angular position with outer end of the blade supgort for moving the latter axially to apply tension to the blade.

2. In a hacksaw. having a' U-shaped frame, a blade support projecting inwardly from one end of said frame. a stud journaled in the other end of said frame and having a part projecting outwardly therefrom, said projecting part having a squared portion andhaving an outer threaded portion, and said stud having a squared bore extending therethrough, a squared blade support extending `through saidv squared bore, the inner end of saidmsupport being cooperable with the blade support at the other end of the frame to -respect to the frame, and a nut threaded on the support a saw blade therebetween. and the youter portion of the stud` for locking said handle in a end of said blade support projecting beyond the outer end of the stud and being threaded, a handle having a squared `aperture through which the squared portion of the stud extends and having a pin projecting inwardly therefrom, there being a circular series of recesses in the adjacent. frame portion for cooperation with said pinya nut threaded on the threaded portion of the stud for locking said handle in a desired angular position l with respect to the frame with the pin in a selected recess. and a nut threaded on the outer end of the blade support for moving theA latter axially to apply tension to the blade.

3. In a hacksaw having a U-shaped frame, a blade support projecting inwardly from one'end of said frame, a stud journaled in the other end of said frame and having a part projecting-out wardly therefrom, said projecting part having a squared portion and having an outer threaded portion, andsaid stud having a squared bore extending therethrough, a squared blade support extending through said squared bore, the inner end of said support being cooperabie with the blade support at the other end of the frame tov support a saw blade therebetween, and the outer end of said blade support projecting beyond the outer end of the stud. and being threaded, a handle having a squared aperture through which the squared portion of the stud `extends and having a yieldingly mountedpin projecting inwardly therefrom, there being a circular series of recesses in the adjacen't"frame portion for cooperation with said pin, a nut threaded on the threaded desired angular position with respect to the frame with the pin in a selected recess, and a nut threaded on the outer end of the blade support for-moving the latter axially to apply tension to the blade.`

4. In combination, a hacksaw having a U- shaped frame .provided with releasable locking `means at one end and a plurality of indexing recesses at the opposite end, a blade support rotatably cooperable with each end of said frame and adapted to carry a blade therebetween, a handle at the recessed end of said frame adjustably mounted with respect thereto and non-rotatably connected to one of lsaid blade supports and having a common axis therewith, said handle having a yieldingly mounted rounded projecting pin adapted to snap into and out of said frame recesses, means providing for axial movement of said blade supports with respect tov said handle and said frame, means located at the handle end of said frame for positively locking the pin of said handle in a selected recess of said frame against yielding movement to lmaintain the desired angular relationship between the frame and handle and to simultaneously iix the angular position of the blade with respect to thev frame, and'rneans also located at the handle end of said frame for adjusting the tensionon the saw blade and for simultaneously locking the blade at both ends with respect to said frame by moving the blade support axially with respect to the handleand frame.

STERLING W. A'LBRIGHT. 

